Block machine



Nov. 6, 1928.

1,690,422 F. X. MUENZER BLOCK MACHINE Filed Aug. 5; 1927 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 6, 1928. 1,690,422

F. x. MUENZER BLOCK MACHINE H m A H |--1 0?! (D Nov. 6, 1928.

F. X. MUENZER BLOCK MACHINE "Ma am attozmqf,

guides 32. The lower ends of. the bars 31 rest upon cams 33 on the transverse shaft 29. The cams and 33 are so constructed and arranged that during one revolution of the shaft 29 the tamping head is caused first to move into the forming box before" the cams 33 efiect an upward pressure upon the pallet rest 20. After approximately one quarter revolution ,of the shaft 29, the cams 33 force the pallet rest upwardly so that an equal pressure is exerted on the top and bottom of the mass within the forming or mould box 7. Thereafter, the pressure of the tamping head is gradually relieved, and the pallet rest 20 is forced a slight distance upwardly. 1

For,h olding the pallet rest in slightly raised position, the vertical bars 31 are formed with notches 34, into which spring pressedplungers 35 are adapted to enter 'when'the pallet rest has been raised the required distance. This holds the block in position prior to ejection.

, The driving shaft 29 for the tamping head and pallet rest is operated from a power shaft 36 arranged above the shaft 29 and provided'with a pinion 37 which is adapted to mesh with a gear 38 on the shaft 29. A pulley wheel 39 011 the shaft 36 may be connectedwith a suitable source of power, a cone clutch 40 may connect the wheel 39 and shaft 36, an operating lever 41 being connected to the frame by a link 42 for mov- .ing. the clutch 40.

A suitable clutch 43 controls the pinion 37 which is slidable on the shaft 36, the clutch l3 being carried by a spring pressed shaftAA, which tends normally to hold the clutch in position to retain the pinion 37 out of engagement with the gear 38, a suitable spring (not shown) tending to force the pinion into engagement with the gear 38. The form of clutch constitutes no part of the present invention, and the above is deemed sufficient to enable those skilled in the art to understand the construction and operation.

It is desired that the apparatus so operate that material be compressed into block form, and thereafter stop and necessitate a manual operation on the part of the operator before it will again function. For this purpose, a cam 45 is fixed to the driving shaft 29 and is formed with a recessed part 46. Rotatable on the cam 45 is a roller 47 carried by a pedal lever/18 having a foot piece 49 extending outside of the frame. The lever 48vis suspended from a transverse shaft 50 and is connected to the clutch lever 44, a coil spring 51 holding the lever in such position that the roller 46 always bears against the cam 45.

In operation, when the pedal lever .48 is depressed,-the clutch 43 releases the pinion 37 which engages the gear 38 for rotation thereof. ."After the control cam 45 has made a complete revolution, the roller 61? is drawn upwardly by the spring 51 into the recessed portion 46 which allows the clutch 43 to be raised by the spring pressed stem 44 and disengage the pinion 37 from the gear 38. The driving shaft 29 is therefore given one complete revolution, and is thereupon disconnected from the power shaft 36, the latter rotating continuously.

In order to completely eject the finishedblock, the lower ends of the pallet rest bars 31 are provided with pins 52 which project into elongate slots 53 in levers 54.- pivoted intermediate their ends on shafts 36. The opposite ends ofthe levers 54 are connected by links 55 to arms 56 fixed to a shaft 57. Keyed to the outer end of the shaft 57; is a lever 58. Bymovement of the lever 58 in one direction, it is apparent that the pallet rest 20v is moved upwardly, thereby to eject the block. To enable the block to be ejected the tamping head 21 is first swung to one side of the forming box, as shown in Fig. 2.

It is manifest that I have produced an cfiicient block forming machine which can be readily operated for making satisfactory blocks with a minimum amount'of trouble and labor. The number of moving partsis reduced to a minimum, and the majority of parts are enclosed andrun in a both of lubri cant. By virtue of the construction and arrangement, a great pressure can be de veloped on opposite sides of the material for thoroughly compacting the same. i

It is to be understood that my machine may be used in other connections than block forming. and numerous changes in detailsof construction and. arrangement may be of fected without departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by LettersPatent is:

1. In a block forming machine, a forming box, a tamping head movable into the box from the'upper end thereof, a pallet rest for the bottom of the box, means forcing said tamping head into the box, and means to force the pallet rest toward said tamping head during the latter portion of movement of the head and to continue such movement after the movement of thehead has been discontinued and reversed, thereby partially to eject the block from the forming box.

2. In a block forming machine, a forming box, a tamping head and pallet rest onopposite ends of the box, means to force said head into said box, and means to force the pallet rest toward the head first to compress the material, and subsequently partially to eject the formed block from the box.

3. In a block forming machine, a forming box, a tamping head and pallet rest on opposite ends of the box, means to forcesaid head into said box, and means to force the llll) pallet rest toward the head first to compress the material, and subsequently partially to eject the formed block from the box, said means being operated from a common drive shaft.

4. In a block forming machine, an open ended forming box, a pallet rest for the bot tom of said box, a tamping head movable into the upper end of said box, cam means for moving the tamping head into the box, means for forcing the pallet rest toward the tamping head, and partially ejecting the formed block, and means forfurther moving the pallet rest completely to eject the block.

5. In a block forming machine, a forming box, a tamping head straddling said box and movable therein, a pallet rest providing the bottom of said box, means for moving said head, means for moving said rest relatively and conjointly with respect to said head for compressing material in the box and partially ejecting the formed block, means to releasably hold the pallet rest in partially ejected position, and means to complete the e'ectionof the formed block.

6. In a lock forming machine, a box, a pallet rest forming the bottom of the box,

cam means for raising said pallet rest a pre-.

determined distance, means for releasably holding said pallet rest in such raised position, and manual means separate from said cam for discharging the formed block from the box.

7 In a block forming machine, an open ended forming box, a tamping head, having parts straddling said box and mounted to be swung to one side thereof, a movable bottom for said box, a power shaft, a driving shaft connected to be driven from said power shaft, cam means on said driving shaft for forcing the tamping head into the box, means for elevating the movable bottom during a portion of the movement of said head and conjointly elevating both bottom and head, control means on said driving shaft, and a connection between said control means and said power shaft for automatically disconnecting the driving shaft from the power shaft after a predetermined movement of the former.

8. In a block forming machine, an openended forming box, a tamping head having parts straddling said box and mounted to be swung to one side thereof, a movable bottom for said box, a power shaft, a driving shaft connected to be driven from said power shaft, cam means on said driving shaft for forcing the tamping head into the box, means for elevating the movable bottom during a portion of the movement of said head and conjointly elevating both bottom and head, releasable means for holding said bottom in such raised position, control means.

power shaft, cam means on said driving shaft for forcing the tamping head into the box, means for elevating the movable bottom during a portion of the movement of said head and conjointly elevating both bottom and head, releasable means for holding said bottom in such raised position, manually operable lever means vfor further elevating said movable bottom, thereby to eject the formed block, control means on said driving shaft, and a connection between said control means and said power shaft for automatically disconnecting the driving shaft from the power shaft after a predetermined movement of the former.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

FRANK XAVIER MUENZER. 

